Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: oldcatsailor on October 27, 2019, 03:15:02 PM

Title: Vibration
Post by: oldcatsailor on October 27, 2019, 03:15:02 PM
Marina checked drive train for vibration told me they found the transmission  may be the cause.lived with it now boat pulled for winter was pulling trans. To get to bottom bolt loosened motor mounts starboard  then found  broken  port engine bracket. Going to re bolt trany? Anyone know nounin
source for motor mount. 1990 m35
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Roc on October 29, 2019, 09:10:09 AM
looks to me your vibration is the broken motor mount and not the transmission.  You may want to try this site for motor mounts.  They used to carry OEM motor mounts.
https://www.marinepartssource.com/

Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Ron Hill on October 29, 2019, 02:57:06 PM
Old Cat : Don't know about the M35 engine mounts, but if the OEM mounts were like those on the M25XP I'd look elsewhere for a Much Better engine mounts!! 
The M25XP OEM mounts were almost like the old Atomic Four - attached straight to the bed!

A thought

Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Roland Gendreau on October 29, 2019, 07:40:28 PM
The picture is not that clear but from what I can see, what is broken is not the motor mount but the motor mount bracket.   On my m25xp, 2 of the brackets sheered off similarly ,  just inboard of the hole for the motor mount stud.   I found out that Westerbeke has a recall on those brackets. They provided me free 2 new brackets that have longer gusset plates to eliminate the problem.   
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: lazybone on October 30, 2019, 10:50:17 AM
I can't imagine how far out of alignment that engine would have to be to snap that 1/4" piece of steel.  The picture of the offset in the two parts after the stresses were relieved says it all.

Not the transmission.

PO are idiots.

That sort of asshatery can ruin bearings
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Ron Hill on October 30, 2019, 02:16:38 PM
Guys : The problem with the M35 engine mount brackets - that 1/4" was just bent metal and the bend was over stressed!!

A thought 
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Roland Gendreau on October 31, 2019, 02:08:14 PM
The bracket failures are described in detail here:

https://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2935.0 (https://c34.org/bbs/index.php?topic=2935.0)

They realized the failure was due to fatigue, so the new brackets have  gusset plates that are 1.5 inches longer.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Jim Hardesty on November 01, 2019, 05:56:05 AM
QuotePO are idiots

In defense of Previous Owners, some commissioning dealers are cheep and lazy.  That much misalignment wasn't wear, it wasn't aligned at commissioning.  I bought Shamrock with about 400 engine hours, the cutlass bearing was a little worn.  Next season I replaced the cutlass bearing, aligned the engine and removed the "Align Engine" tag on the drive shaft.  Now have over 1500 engine hours and the cutlass bearing is still squeaky tight.

Jim


Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: oldcatsailor on November 01, 2019, 10:38:22 AM
Thanks all , called westabeake wait for them to get back to me.
Had part welded but would get new improved bracket .Had quite 207 $for a new part
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: lazybone on November 01, 2019, 01:09:53 PM
Quote from: Ron Hill on October 30, 2019, 02:16:38 PM
Guys : The problem with the M35 engine mount brackets - that 1/4" was just bent metal and the bend was over stressed!!

A thought

I trying to see the bent metal fabrication you're referring too.  Please clarify.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: lazybone on November 01, 2019, 01:19:32 PM
When aligning the engine all four mount top nuts should be backed way off so that there are no downward stresses.   The top nuts should not be tightened until the engine is aligned.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: jmcdonald on November 01, 2019, 01:24:22 PM
I have had more the a little experience fabricating parts. That's a fabricated part, not a bent and formed
part.  If the original part failed, then a butt weld like that will fail, too. It needs a backing plate to have
enough strength to be cantilevered out like that after being repaired.  Look in the phone book, find a welding shop near you, they will happily make a new part for you a a very reasonable price. That's a very simple part to make.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Ron Hill on November 01, 2019, 01:25:25 PM
Ciao : I believe what they did was take a flat piece of metal cut into the shape of the engine mount and then bent it 90 degrees. 
That bend was stressed and that's what failed.  It worked for the M25 series engines, but the 4th cylinder made the engine that much heavier!!  The fix was a gusset welded to "support" that bend!!

A thought
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: lazybone on November 01, 2019, 01:35:35 PM
Quote from: Ron Hill on November 01, 2019, 01:25:25 PM
Ciao : I believe what they did was take a flat piece of metal cut into the shape of the engine mount and then bent it 90 degrees. 
That bend was stressed and that's what failed.  It worked for the M25 series engines, but the 4th cylinder made the engine that much heavier!!  The fix was a gusset welded to "support" that bend!!

A thought

Did you look at the pics?  There is no break at a bend?  It's a straight piece of steel with a break.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Roland Gendreau on November 01, 2019, 07:34:54 PM
As mentioned in my earlier post, the new brackets have a gusset piece (the triangular part welded to each leg) that is longer and extends all the way past the hole for the motor mount.   That will prevent the failure happening again due to fatigue. 

I agree the repair you did on the bracket will fail again at the weld. If you want to have the part fabricated locally, there may be a picture of the improved bracket somewhere on this site that the fabricator could use.  Hopefully Westerbeke will provide them to you gratis as they did for me.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Ron Hill on November 02, 2019, 04:23:28 PM
Caio : Don't worry about it - as you don't have an M35 engine!!

A thought

Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: lazybone on November 04, 2019, 02:03:24 PM
Quote from: Ron Hill on November 02, 2019, 04:23:28 PM
Caio : Don't worry about it - as you don't have an M35 engine!!

A thought

I own the same number of M35's as you.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: oldcatsailor on November 04, 2019, 07:06:02 PM
Westerbeake no longer honors recall 207$ for part ,will try the repaired mount ,welder extended the brace under the plate.
Title: Re: Vibration
Post by: Roland Gendreau on November 06, 2019, 07:29:52 PM
That should work ok.  Before you re align the engine, remove the bracket from the other side of the engine and have him similarly reinforce it with a longer gusset plate.  It will save you from having to go thru this again in the near future.